“[The] reality [of Iranian nukes] has never been closer, as we are warned in Noah Beck’s recent novel, The Last Israelis. It is our current proximity to apocalyptic war that makes Beck’s doomsday warning about a nuclear Iran so compelling. If the worst comes to pass, this chilling attempt to rouse the West from its torpor could turn out to be that final, horribly prophetic alert that went unheeded….As a powerful, well-researched novel, The Last Israelis provides a gripping answer, and helps to neutralize the desensitization and/or apathy to a nuclear Iran by depicting an all-too real scenario of what a nuclear Iran could ultimately mean for the region and the world….

The nuanced debates [about the ethics of nuclear war] are particularly interesting because Beck’s crew is as heterogeneous and complex as the Israeli society that they defend, including a Vietnamese-Israeli, an Arab-Israeli Druze, an Ethiopian-Israeli, and a Christian Israeli. Based on their individual backgrounds, upbringings, and most importantly, experiences, this motley crew offers dramatically different perspectives—from the hawkish to the dovish—that reflect the diverse views that one finds in a debate-driven democracy like Israel. Besides issuing an urgent warning, The Last Israelis is so grounded in history and current events—including real people, places, and events—that it provides an entertaining way to become educated about the Middle East in general, and the conflict between Israel and Iran in particular.

And in one crucial respect, this book is no fiction: a nuclear armed Iran is very bad news, not just for Israel, as many think, but for the whole region and stability of the world. Therefore, the world is obligated to act now to ensure that the horrific scenario recounted in The Last Israelis never comes to pass.”

“…this extremely well-researched book mines the depths of history and will be an important resource. Beck has skillfully populated his vessel with sailors representative of nearly every element of Israeli society. There are Ethiopians aboard ship, second-generation refugees from Vietnam, Iran, Russia, and Christian Arabs. In their close quarters and under extreme stress, these men rally despite their differences. They are predators, enduring torturous pressures deep below the sea, yet prey to hostile enemy submarines…The Last Israelis contemplates a frighteningly realistic and rapidly unfolding nightmare of apocalyptic proportions.”

“The Last Israelis provides a rollercoaster nine hours of suspense as the Israeli Prime Minister lies in a German hospital bed after falling into a coma, having just ordered his Defence Minister to make ready a retaliatory nuclear strike against Iran…Read with breathless urgency by Jeffrey Buckner Ford, this is excellent audiobook drama which will keep you guessing and urge you to think about the very real tensions still at work in a conflict-torn Middle East.”

“Jeffrey Buckner Ford’s narration is expertly done. He handles the voice of a child with the same ease as he does a generous supply of foreign accents and female characters. His pacing is perfect…Once the characters board the submarine, there is a subtle foreboding to Ford’s voice and an immediacy, without its being rushed. The effect is to create an alertness to the inevitable danger that might be waiting in the next sentence or paragraph.”

“The Dolphin’s crew members – and their discussions – are fascinating because they reflect the complexity and diversity of Israeli society. There are descendants of Holocaust survivors; native Arabic speakers (one Christian and one Druze); the son of Persian Jews who escaped from the Iranian revolution of 1979; an Ethiopian who crossed Sudan by foot as a child to reach Israel; religious Jews who serve on a mostly secular crew; the atheist son of a Soviet Refusenik; a submariner who holds staunchly right-wing views and another who secretly attends leftist rallies…

“How do all of these people get along during months away from home, living in close quarters, facing deadly threats at sea? Their voyage has enough naval action and drama to rival the suspense of a Tom Clancy novel. But the book is also an intellectual thriller, featuring some riveting debates about war, ethics, geopolitics, religion, and the protection of minorities. The author does an excellent job of giving voice to every political and philosophical perspective, and thereby shows the depth, diversity, and nuance of the Israeli body politic.”

“The novel is…very topical, tackling an issue that regularly dominates the headlines: the unyielding march towards a nuclear weapon by the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite six rounds of economic sanctions by the UN Security Council and almost a decade of diplomatic initiatives. The story explores in detail one of the potential nightmare scenarios that most military commentators would rather ignore because of how horrific it could be: the catastrophic conflict that could materialize the day after Iran obtains a nuclear weapon….

“Middle East pundit Daniel Pipes also took note of its timely relevance: ‘Noah Beck has helpfully and creatively raised two crucial topics in his novel The Last Israelis: that the Jewish state has the ability to strike Iran with nuclear weapons and that a mutual-assured-destruction balance is not a prospect between Iran and Israel. Beck thereby clarifies the full extent to which the mullahs’ regime threatens Israel and the world.'”

(August 12, 2012) From Apocalypse Soon by Richard Baehr, co-founder and Chief Political Correspondent of American Thinker

“The book provides a picture of Israelis at work in one of the most claustrophobic and intense environments in the world — weeks at a time in a submerged submarine in hostile waters. The Israelis on board are a diverse collection of religious Jews and atheists, Druze and Christians, Ethiopians, Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews. How each man got to be a member of the submarine force is part of the story, and crew’s diversity serves as an explanation for the views held in the debates onboard on the proper Israeli strategy…The Last Israelis is a great read on a subject as current as the headlines, and the book poses a situation where none of the choices are good or easy.”

“’The Last Israelis’ is a novel that is gripping, chilling and is one that should be brought to the silver screen. It brings to mind elements of “Crimson Tide,” “The Hunt For Red October” and “U-571.” The claustrophobic effects are there as you’ll feel like you’re on the sub with the world on the brink of disaster. Don’t start reading this novel if you have somewhere to be. You’ll probably miss your appointment….Even if you’re not an expert on Iran and no matter what political side you are on, ‘The Last Israelis’ is a must-read…

“The novel asks many questions, such as: How important is revenge? Are civilian casualties acceptable as part of collateral damage? Who is the party to blame: the one who attacks first or the one who plans to attack first? What is the most basic element of Israeli society that is constant? Should a Jewish military force have a value system that is different from any other? What about the lives of the innocent Iranian people who don’t share the maniacal views of their leaders?…While the subject matter may be painful, the read is a pleasure, due to the pace of the plot, the dialogue and the emotional tug.”(July 16, 2012) “The Last Israelis” – a Gripping Military and Psychological Thriller – Gets Five-star Reviews

“A chilling recent novel, ‘The Last Israelis’ by Noah Beck, imagines a scenario in which Iran has launched a nuclear attack on Israel. The last Israelis of his title are a submarine crew who are cut off from their country who must decide whether or not to fire their own nuclear missiles in retaliation.”